Howdy. I purchased my 2005 3500 dually in May, and it was new on the lot.

The day after I bought it I noticed that when I would accelerate leaving a 45 mph zone, the truck would billow black smoke. To elaborate, I am driving 45 mph on a flat 4 lane road, accelerate to 55 mph, never going over 2500 rpm's, and it starts BILLOWING black smoke. On the farm this usually indicates that fuel is not burning.

The result of this is of course a great deal of embarrassment due to my very nice $46,000 (+ applicable government extorsion fees) truck blowing smoke, the rear WHITE panel is now permanently black (even though I was washing it every other day), and the dealer says "our computers don't show any codes and we can't replicate the problem". Problem #1: The truck will smoke in idle when revved, and I had to show the service manager this, but he stated that is just the way that a diesel is; and, #2: no one is a diesel mechanic anymore, they are all "techs" that rely on a computer.

What can I do about this? The service manager actually told me to get an extension on my pipe to move it past the edge of the truck, so it will not discolor. By this time I was a little ticked (I had taken the truck back every two days for two weeks) and I informed him that for $50,000 he better put on the extensions, which didn't happen of course.

I have a 97 F250 Powerstroke with 300,000 miles that I can pull 15,000 lbs of cows with (4x per week for 300 miles round trip), and an 02 F350 Powerstroke with 110,000 miles that pulls construction equipment 95% of the time, and neither one smokes one lick. What is going on?

Thanks in advance.

 

boost leak?

 

I shoujld also mention that I have pulled my 24' stock trailer loaded with cows, and it pulls great. I have passed empty rigs and Fords going uphill on fairly steep grades. It has power, but it smokes like an old freight train when you get on it.....empty or loaded.

 

hmmmm...wanna trade trucks!

I can hardlly get mine to smoke....

 

Flame that's kinda what I was thinking. Seems a lot of guys would like there 3gens to smoke a little more than they do. Especially on queue : Mine does finally smoke now, if I have it above level 2 it smokes a lot on WOT from about a coasting 5 mph .

 

I've seen a few '05 now that are stock that smoke more than my '03 did when it was stock, but nothing like a freight train though. One thing I can think of is boost leak like already mentioned, but you wrote that your truck "have passed empty rigs and Fords going uphill on fairly steep grades. It has power". When I was messing around with my turbo a few months ago I didn't seat a clamp properly and therefore had a very small boost leak. I could hear it in the cab, boost still registered into the mid 30's, but it billowed black clouds and was a dog. Does your smoke clear up quick? The other thing I can think of is weather. With the recent hot weather plus altitude I've been noticing lots of stock diesels in town (all 3 brands) smoking black and then quickly clearing up especially taking off from lights.

What gear are you in when you are going from 45 to 55 mph? X rpm to Y rpm? (i.e., 0 psi boost to Z psi boost?)

 

Flame, I don't have a gauge for boost. It is an automatic transmission and smokes from 2-2.5k RPM's when I accelerate and it drops a gear. It billows when it drops a gear, but I can also get on it enough to not down shift and it will give a steady stream of black smoke, but not billow. I have had a time or two where it wouldn't drop down a gear, even when I floored it going up hill, but not often.

It seems to smoke less when under a load, than when it has a trailer attached. Anyone I have mentioned the smoke to, other than the dealer, says it sounds like it isn't burning the fuel and that it may be injectors/injector pump, but the dealer says the computer checks out fine on them.

 

I get a little bit of smoke from mine, especally if the engine is cold.... otherwise it is not bad...

 

Hmmm.... my truck smokes quit a bit at high throttle...sometimes. Yesterday when I picked it up from the dealer I ran it hard. And no smoke! However this morning driving to work it smoke quite a bit! When I step on it that is. The difference is this morning I drove alot at constant speed around 1800 rpm. After alot of constant speed driving it seems to smoke more when you step on it. Almost like it is cleaning out the pipes.

The smoke is not typically black. More of a grayish color. I also feel the humidity may effect it.

So what normal? I think some grayish smoke at heavy throttle application after driving slowly is normal. However if your smoke is rich black smoke like that from a diesel pulling tractor or a coal fired steam train....then maybe something is wrong.

Oh and get a extension tip. Especially with your white color. I have one. Keeps the fender and bumper cleaner. Even a smoke free diesel (if that even exists) will eventually soot up the side of the truck because the exhaust pipe is too short.

 

I appreciate the feedback folks.

It smokes cold or hot, raining or clear, etc.

Someone mentioned getting some type of computer that you can plug up to the dash and it will download info that will raise hp by 30, and mpg by 4. What is that, and is there any validity to that?

Where is a good place to get an exhaust extension, and what is the cost?

Also, does anyone else's radio just suddenly go to the furthest setting to the left? I am wondering if politics has gotten into my radio. It does it going around a corner, over a bump, acceleration, and deceleration...but not all the time. It just resets itself for the dial location, not modifying my pre-sets.

Again, I apprecite the responses.

 

faol,

I can't believe that your PowerJokes don't smoke. Maybe not as much as your new Cummins, but they smoke. My dad has a bone stock '97 PowerJoke with 325+K that will shoot a nice little puff when he gets on it.

As for the '05 Cummins smoking something is not right if you have a stock truck that is dumping enough to discolor your rear quarter and bumper in one day. I have a buddy who has an '04.5 and in stock mode it will not puff any smoke even under WOT.

Find another dealer if you're not getting any help from this one!

 

In your area do they only sell #2 diesel. I know it is summer time but I just got back from S. Carolina and Tennessee and they only sell #2. I notice that I had more smoke as well on #2 during the summer. I do let mine idle in the morning for about 10 min before I drive it too. Maybe you need to let it idle a minute before you get on it. I am not a mechanic but maybe this is an idea. Take care. Aaron

 

ive mentioned this before as well. i have an 04.5 but its relashed, So im told thats the same 610 ish program the 05 has, anyway. yeah mines nice and dark on the back

to get rid of it just use a good polish. I tried some of that turtle was chrome polish in a small pot, no problems to it took it all off. As far as a fix there isnt one. as there technically isnt a problem i guess


My first thought is major oil usage ( checked boost and all that, but none was used. Then i thought injectors where sticking open but that wasnt the case either. the turbo ( computer controlled) was working fine. Everything was in sepc. The only time i got it to go away completly for a extended amount of time was i almost ran her dry once, it was belwo E and i had -30 miles on my overhead for DTE it was at 0 for 30 miles haha. so yeah


Anyway for 1/2 that tank it had a whole bottole of Diesel Kleen and it wewnt away for 1000 miels or so.

I have noticed if you run her hard a few times, itll clear up and not do it. but if you constant speed drive and then run her she shoots out. Being my truck gets decent mileage ( 18-29) has no lack of power. and starts every time with no problems and no sounds im gonna leave well enough alone, heck people pay lots of money for this kind of fun

 

my 05 smokes about the same as my 02 with dd3`s in it........but not under load like you would think.when you rev out a gear and it goes flat at2500,it smokes,shift to the next gear,no smoke,run it up to 2500,goes flat,and smokes......its like the wastegate opens and doesnt have enough air to burn all the fuel..the autos ive driven seem to pull out to 3000 pretty good,but all the 6 speeds ive driven feel the same as mine.start pulling hard about 2000,and out of breath by 2500.......any thoughts?......................bama

 

Out of breath by 2500 only in manual trans trucks?

I can't see how this would be the case. If anything, the manual trans truck should pull harder for 2 reasons.

A.) the gearing in the manual trans is numerically higher than the autos
B.) the torque converter takes 40 more hp to turn than a manual trans clutch assy.
Other than that the fueling/boost is the same for autos and manuals.

Yes, the fueling/timing is the same on 04.5's through 06's. There are changes for NVH and some smoke control but the hp/torque curves are the same.

What kind of fuel economy are you getting with all that black smoke?

Yes, the right box will give you more horsepower with better fuel economy. I stess the right box.